Harvey expected to get more spring starts (O's lead 4-3)

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Orioles pitching prospect Hunter Harvey is making the start here this afternoon against the Boston Red Sox. It is a split-squad game for the Orioles with the other half of their roster taking on the Phillies at home tonight.

It will definitely not be his last this spring in the Grapefruit League. Harvey is expected to pitch in a simulated game, likely next Friday and then get his fourth Grapefruit League start on March 21 in Tampa versus the Yankees.

"He's staying. He's getting something out of this," O's manager Buck Showalter said of what will be at the least an extended stay in spring training for the right-hander.

In his first two Grapefruit League starts, Harvey allowed two runs and five hits over four innings. Today he allowed a leadoff homer to Mookie Betts on a 93 mph fastball in the last of the first, but then impressively pitched out of a second and third, one-out jam to lead 2-1 after one. He got J.D. Martinez to fly out, he fanned Xander Bogaerts and got a groundout from Rafael Devers. Harvey then pitched a 1-2-3 last of the second.

The O's produced two runs on four hits in the top of the first, getting RBI singles from Colby Rasmus and Chance Sisco to take a 2-0 lead.

Showalter also said today that outfielder Austin Hays is expected to play in the outfield on Tuesday when the Orioles play in Fort Myers against Minnesota. Hays is 1-for-11 in three games and has not played in the field since an intrasquad game due to shoulder soreness and inflammation. He got a cortison injection Feb. 28.

Showalter said he does not expect to make any more roster cuts until tomorrow. The O's may then trim two or three more players from a camp roster that now stands at 48.

The Orioles expect to look at Danny Valencia more in the outfield the rest of camp. He could begin the season as part of a platoon in right field in addition to being a backup at the infield corners

"He's going to play some outfield down here as soon as we clean up some of this overload of the roster," Showalter said. "Do I think (Craig) Gentry or (Joey) Rickard are better defenders? Of course. Danny is a strong, athletic guy. He's got a plus arm. I'll tell you what he makes the 3-6-3 and 3-6-1 double plays about as well as you're going to see it. He's okay at third base. We might move him around the infield too before this is over."

Showalter said the Orioles will bring some of their young minor leaguers to Ed Smith Stadium for the rest of the home games. This group will not be playing in the game but sitting in the dugout to gain some experience and rub elbows with the big leaguers. Tonight pitchers DL Hall and Adam Stauffer will join the O's in Sarasota. Pitchers Ofelky Peralta and Cody Sedlock will come over for the next home game on Wednesday.

Update: Boston tied it 2-2 on an unearned run in the third. Betts walked, went to third on Harvey's error on a pickoff throw and scored on a Hanley Ramirez single.

Update II: The O's took a 4-2 lead in the fourth on Rick Porcello. They loaded the bases and Alex Presley's bloop single scored two runs with two outs

Harvey pitched the first three innings allowing four hits and two runs (one earned) with one walk, three strikeouts and two wild pitches. He threw 49 pitches, 29 for strikes.

Update III: The Red Sox cut it to 4-3 versus Tanner Scott in the fourth, but they had help from the O's defense. Presley lost a fly ball in the sun in left that went for a double and an error by second baseman Ruben Tejada followed. But Scott limited the damage with just one scoring on a groundout. He fanned Jackie Bradley Jr. and got a grounder from Ramirez with the bases loaded and one out.